There are increasing male and female lifters aged 13-18 competing in powerlifting as the sport grows in popularity; but how strong should these lifters expect to be at their age? What is the average squat for a 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 year olds?
The following data represents all of the 13 to 18-year-old lifters who have competed in the International Powerlifting Federation. The data from these lifters were used to provide average squat strength at each age, and across all IPF weight classes.
This data is intended to be used as a reference point for teenage lifters, and to see how relative strength changes across these age groups and weight classes.
Make sure to check out our other strength guides and standards:
- What Is The Average Bench Press Strength For 13-18 Yr Olds?
- What Is The Average Deadlift Strength For 13-18 Yr Olds?
- Squat To Bench Press Ratios: How Much More Should You Squat?
- Squat To Deadlift Ratios: Should You Squat or Deadlift More?
- How Much Should You Squat?
- How Much Should You Bench Press?
What Is The Average Squat For A 13 Year Old?
The average squat for a male 13-year-old is 1.3 times bodyweight. The average squat for a female 13-year-old is 1.2 times bodyweight. Depending on the weight class, squats will range from 77kg to 150kg for men and 57kg to 88kg for women.
Male 13 Year Olds
53kg
The average squat for this weight class is 77kg.
59kg
The average squat for this weight class is 92kg.
66kg
The average squat for this weight class is 96kg.
74kg
The average squat for this weight class 113kg.
83kg
The average squat for this weight class is 107kg
93kg
The average squat for this weight class is 113kg.
105kg
The average squat for this weight class is 124kg.
120kg
The average squat for this weight class is 150kg.
120+kg:
The average squat for this weight class is 109kg.
Key Takeaway: Across the weight classes, the 59kg and 74kg 13 year olds have the strongest squats on average compared to the other body weight categories. The 120+kg lifters have the weakest squats of the 13-year-olds, which we can assume is because they have less lean muscle mass (as a result of their training age) despite a heavier bodyweight.
Female 13 Year Olds
43kg
The average squat for this weight class is 57kg.
47kg
The average squat for this weight class is 65kg.
52kg
The average squat for this weight class is 73kg.
57kg
The average squat for this weight class is 70kg.
63kg
The average squat for this weight class is 73kg.
69kg
The average squat for this weight class is 78kg.
76kg
The average squat for this weight class is 83kg.
84kg
The average squat for this weight class is 88kg.
84+kg:
The average squat for this weight class is 84kg.
Key Takeaway: The relative strength level of the female 13 year olds has a downward trend as the weight classes increase. The 52kg class has the highest relative strength at an average of 1.4xBW, and the 84kg+ had the lowest relative strength at an average of 0.9xBW.
What Is The Average Squat For A 14 Year Old?
The average squat for male 14 year olds is 1.5 times bodyweight. The average squat strength of 14 year old females is 1.3 times bodyweight. Depending on the weight class, squats will range from 82kg to 151kg for men and 58kg to 103kg for women.
Male 14 Year Olds
53kg
The average squat for this weight class is 82kg.
59kg
The average squat for this weight class is is 100kg.
66kg
The average squat for this weight class is 107kg.
74kg
The average squat for this weight class is 115kg.
83kg
The average squat for this weight class is 126kg.
93kg
The average squat for this weight class is 131kg.
105kg
The average squat for this weight class is 136kg.
120kg
The average squat for this weight class is 151kg.
120+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 149kg.
The data shows that the relative squat strength of male 14 year olds decreases as weight classes increase. The weight class with the highest relative squat strength is the 74kg class with average squats of 1.56xBW. The weight class with the lowest relative strength is the 120+kg class with average squats of 1.1xBW.
Female 14 Year Olds
43kg
The average squat for this weight class is 58kg.
47kg
The average squat for this weight class is 68kg.
52kg
The average squat for this weight class is 74kg.
57kg
The average squat for this weight class is 82kg.
63kg
The average squat for this weight class is 81kg.
69kg
The average squat for this weight class is 84kg.
76kg
The average squat for this weight class is 91kg.
84kg
The average squat for this weight class is 92kg.
84+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 103kg.
The lighter weight classes have better relative strength on average than the heavier weight classes, with the highest strength levels being the 47kg class with squats of 1.4xBW and the lowest squat strength being the 84kg and 84+kg classes with 1.1xBW squats.
What Is The Average Squat For A 15 Year Old?
The average squat for male 15 year olds is 1.5 times bodyweight. The average squat strength of 15 year old females is 1.3 times bodyweight. Depending on the weight class, squats will range from 85kg to 164kg for men and 61kg to 113kg for women.
Male 15 Year Olds
53kg
The average squat for this weight class is 85kg.
59kg
The average squat for this weight class is 104kg.
66kg
The average squat for this weight class is 111kg.
74kg
The average squat for this weight class is 119kg.
83kg
The average squat for this weight class is 137kg.
93kg
The average squat for this weight class is 134kg.
105kg
The average squat for this weight class is 143kg.
120kg
The average squat for this weight class is 164kg.
120+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 164kg.
As the weight classes increase, the average relative strength decreases for the 15 year old males. The class with the highest relative squat strength is the 59kg class with 1.8xBW squats. The 120+kg class has the lowest relative strength with squats of 1.3xBW.
Female 15 Year Olds
43kg
The average squat for this weight class is 61kg.
47kg
The average squat for this weight class is 69kg.
52kg
The average squat for this weight class is 72kg.
57kg
The average squat for this weight class is 79kg.
63kg
The average squat for this weight class is 79kg.
69kg
The average squat for this weight class is 88kg.
76kg
The average squat for this weight class is 94kg.
84kg
The average squat for this weight class is 90kg.
84+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 113kg.
The strongest relative squats for 15 year old females are from the 47kg class on average. The class with the lowest relative squat strength was the 84kg class with squats of 1.1xBW.
What Is The Average Squat For A 16 Year Old?
The average squat for male 16 year olds is 1.8 times bodyweight. The average squat strength of 16 year old females is 1.4 times bodyweight. Depending on the weight class, squats will range from 101kg to 193kg for men and 63kg to 118kg for women.
Male 16 Year Olds
53kg
The average squat for this weight class is 101kg.
59kg
The average squat for this weight class is 116kg.
66kg
The average squat for this weight class is 131kg.
74kg
The average squat for this weight class is 145kg.
83kg
The average squat for this weight class is 156kg.
93kg
The average squat for this weight class is 168kg.
105kg
The average squat for this weight class is 175kg.
120kg
The average squat for this weight class is 187kg.
120+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 193kg.
The average relative squat strength has a downward trend as the weight classes increase, with the strongest squats from the 66kg class at 2.0xBW, and the lowest from the 120+kg class at 1.5xBW.
Female 16 Year Olds
43kg
The average squat for this weight class is 63kg.
47kg
The average squat for this weight class is 72kg.
52kg
The average squat for this weight class is 82kg.
57kg
The average squat for this weight class is 84kg.
63kg
The average squat for this weight class is 91kg.
69kg
The average squat for this weight class is 95kg.
76kg
The average squat for this weight class is 100kg.
84kg
The average squat for this weight class is 110kg.
84+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 118kg.
According to the data, the lighter lifters have stronger squats than the heavier weight classes when body weight is factored in. The strongest relative squats are from lifters in the 52kg class at 1.6xBW. The weight class with the lowest relative strength is the 84kg class with squats at 1.3xBW.
What Is The Average Squat For A 17 Year Old?
The average squat for male 17 year olds is 1.8 times bodyweight. The average squat strength of 17 year old females is 1.4 times bodyweight. Depending on the weight class, squats will range from 103kg to 206kg for men and 61kg to 120kg for women.
Male 17 Year Olds
53kg
The average squat for this weight class is 103kg.
59kg
The average squat for this weight class is 114kg.
66kg
The average squat for this weight class is 143kg.
74kg
The average squat for this weight class is 146kg.
83kg
The average squat for this weight class is 156kg.
93kg
The average squat for this weight class is 169kg.
105kg
The average squat for this weight class is 174kg.
120kg
The average squat for this weight class is 182kg.
120+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 206kg.
The weight class with the strongest relative squat for 17 year olds is the 66kg class with average squats of 2.2xBW. The weakest squats for 17 year old males are from the 120kg class at 1.5xBW.
Female 17 Year Olds
43kg
The average squat for this weight class is 61kg.
47kg
The average squat for this weight class is 75kg.
52kg
The average squat for this weight class is 77kg.
57kg
The average squat for this weight class is 87kg.
63kg
The average squat for this weight class is 95kg.
69kg
The average squat for this weight class is 97kg.
76kg
The average squat for this weight class is 99kg.
84kg
The average squat for this weight class is 113kg.
84+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 120kg.
The 47kg class has the strongest relative squats for 17 year old females at 1.6xBW, and the 76kg weight class has the weakest squats relative to their bodyweight at 1.3xBW.
What Is The Average Squat For An 18 Year Old?
The average squat for male 18 year olds is 2 times bodyweight. The average squat strength of 18 year old females is 1.5 times bodyweight. Depending on the weight class, squats will range from 115kg to 212kg for men and 69kg to 130kg for women.
Male 18 Year Olds
53kg
The average squat for this weight class is 115kg.
59kg
The average squat for this weight class is 132kg.
66kg
The average squat for this weight class is 146kg.
74kg
The average squat for this weight class is 164kg.
83kg
The average squat for this weight class is 174kg.
93kg
The average squat for this weight class is 186kg.
105kg
The average squat for this weight class is 199kg.
120kg
The average squat for this weight class is 211kg.
120+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 212kg.
The 120+kg class has the weakest squat strength relative to their body weight at 1.6xBW. The 59kg and 74kg class have the highest squat strength relative to their body weights at 2.2xBW.
Female 18 Year Olds
43kg
The average squat for this weight class is 69kg.
47kg
The average squat for this weight class is 76kg.
52kg
The average squat for this weight class is 85kg.
57kg
The average squat for this weight class is 85kg.
63kg
The average squat for this weight class is 98kg.
69kg
The average squat for this weight class is 104kg.
76kg
The average squat for this weight class is 111kg.
84kg
The average squat for this weight class is 115kg.
84+kg
The average squat for this weight class is 130kg.
The 52kg and 57kg class have the highest relative squat strength for 18 year old females at 1.6xBW. The 84kg and 84+kg classes have the lowest squat strength relative to their body weights at 1.4xBW.
How Does Squat Strength Vary Among 13 to 18 Year Olds?
The data confirms that, as we would expect, relative strength increases as we age. This increase in strength can be attributed to gains in muscle mass through training as we age.
Males average squat strength increased from 1.3xBW to 2xBW across ages 13 to 18 respectively. Women’s squat strength on average at age 13 was 1.2xBW but increased across ages for an average squat of 1.5xBW for 18 year olds.
It should also be mentioned that the lower weight classes in each weight class tended to have stronger relative strength than the higher weight classes.
The reason for this is most likely because the lighter classe’s body weights reflected more lean muscle mass, whereas their heavier classes were more likely to have more fat mass (which is not contractile tissue), and therefore wouldn’t contribute to lifting more weight despite being heavier.
The young training ages would limit the amount of muscle that these age groups would be able to build. Therefore, the higher weight classes of these age groups are more likely to be filled out with fat mass rather than lean mass. Although lean mass would increase over time through training, it is probably not to the extent that a teen would fill out the heavier weight classes with significant lean tissue.
Final Thoughts
With this data in mind, we can identify whether teenage lifters are performing well in the squat compared to other lifters their age, or if they need improvement. It is also important to emphasize that the teenage years are important for developing the technique and muscle mass that will make them more successful in the future.
About The Author
Amanda Parkerhas a passion for competing and coaching in both powerlifting and weightlifting. She uses her knowledge from her Kinesiology Degree, CSCS, and Precision Nutrition certification to coach athletes and lifestyle clients for performance in training and nutrition.Connect with her on Instagram.
